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Clean Up Kennedy

'Clean Up Kennedy' is committed to ending the Illicit Massage Parlor blight on Kennedy Blvd by developing a community-based awareness campaign, supporting and equipping local law enforcement, and working with local government to end the victimization of women on our streets in Tampa.

Suspected Illicit Massage Business Report: Crystal SpaCLICK HERE to read the full report
This 27 page report, compiled from observation of the storefront, interviews with neighboring residents and businesses, public record analysis, and examination of its digital footprint, outlines many of the details of Crystal Spa at 3302 W Kennedy Blvd.
Comparing these details with known warning signs for illicit massage businesses, the authors of the report have determined that there is a very high likelihood that Crystal Spa is operating as an illicit massage business.
Some of the highlights of the report: A look back at this property's history shows that this location has hosted several suspected illicit massage parlors over the past decade.

A careful review of public property and tax documents reveal many details. The owner of the Crystal Spa business (CRYSTAL WELLBEING, INC) Mi Jin Joung, and the owner of the property (ARCH ENTERPRISES OF TAMPA INC) Dr. Naresh Kalra, who practices dentis…

As public awareness increases and the City cracks down on illicit businesses operating on Kennedy Blvd another suspected illicit massage business shuts its doors. The space where Spa Land was renting is now empty and ready to be home to a legitimate and law abiding businesses.

Before
After
Over the past year several of these questionable establishments have closed up.

FL Day Spa
Japanese Spa
Lucky Spa
And of course Seven Star Spa (which is now Sun Spa but we are still including it in this list)

The City is getting serious about enforcing their new Bathhouse Ordinance targeting illicit massage parlors. Mark Douglas made another hard hitting report which included a supportive quote from the mayor about the enforcement. The article was picked up by the national anti-trafficking organization Polaris who have been focusing on massage parlor trafficking in a new initiative this year.

One year ago Mark Douglas’ Channel 8 story “Storefronts for Sex?” kicked off a City wide conversation about illicit massage parlors operating in plain sight on our city’s streets. At this event we will be appreciating our volunteers and others who have worked hard to fight human trafficking in our city. We’ll also be talking about the future plans and how you can get involved in ending human trafficking in Tampa bay.

Please RSVP through the Facebook event page if you can make it. We look forward to seeing you there!

Ordinance Passed! Clean Up Kennedy is excited to announce that the revamped “Bathhouse Ordinance” passed it’s second reading at the city council meeting on January 11, 2018. After plenty of deliberation and public debate the city council voted to officially adopt the Bathhouse Ordinance.

This ordinance will enforce codes that will make it more difficult for massage spas in Tampa to be dens for human trafficking. Among other things, the Bathhouse Ordinance enforces a 10pm closing time, requires spas to have a well lit front entrance, and requires spas to display information about human trafficking. These measures are steps in the right direction towards educating the public about the dangers of human trafficking that could be going on in their own neighborhoods.

After months of working with city council on this ordinance, Clean Up Kennedy is thrilled that it has passed. We want to continue to make the human trafficking victims our primary concern moving forward. We are actively working…

New Bathhouse Ordinance: What is it and Why is it
Being Contested?By: Carrie Pinkard

On Thursday, December 21st the Tampa City Council
met to vote on a revised version of the “Bathhouse ordinance.”
The “Bathhouse Ordinance” was number 71 on the agenda and
didn’t come up until over three hours into the meeting. Members of the public on both the
pro-ordinance and anti-ordinance side stirred in their seats as they awaited
their opportunity to speak.
As someone who has been a member of Clean Up Kennedy since
it’s onset, I am biased in my full support of this updated bathhouse ordinance.
I was surprised to see the number of people who showed up in opposition to the
ordinance and was eager to hear their side of this story.
This article will address the public comments made against
this new ordinance at the December 21st meeting, as well as give a
break down of what the ordinance actually says. “Rich White People Don’t Want Immigrants in Neighborhood”
This movement is in no way a ploy t…

The City has continued to move forward on addressing the organized prostitution and possible human trafficking going on in the illicit massage businesses (IMBs) operating along Kennedy Blvd and across Tampa. For the past 6 months, Tampa’s legal department has received input from local and national anti-trafficking NGOs.

The public comments featured several survivors of human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation, discussing their experiences in Tampa and their support for the ordinance. Representatives from the Salvation Army and Polaris also spoke.

The representatives from Polaris (which begins at 11:35 in the video below) discussed the problem of illicit massage businesses nationally, how the ones in Tampa are connected to larger national networks, and even read what buyers online say about their experiences in these 'massage spas.'

We have another City Council Meeting 9am December 7th. As an ongoing effort by the city to address the issue of commercial sexual exploitation and possible human trafficking going on Kennedy Blvd and across Tampa.
The Meeting will be held on the 3rd floor of Old City Hall at 9am 315 E Kennedy Blvd, Tampa, FL 33602
If you are interested in coming and showing support for the efforts by the city to address trafficking in our city, Email cleanupkennedy@gmail.com for more information.